Switch



Oct. 23, 1951 J. B. SHOCKLEY SWITCH Filed Feb. 27, 1951 Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH Joseph Bailey Shockley, Detroit,.Mich.

Application. February 27, 1951, Serial No. 212,943

5 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to switches, more especially for the control of lighting circuits, and has for its object to: provide a simple andeasilyoperable switch preferably of a size and. model for application to existing households and similar switchboxes, my improved switch having as its main characteristic an adjustably delayed action, upon operation to break a circuit,- whereby the actual break will occur at a predetermined timed interval after such operation has been effected by the user. Thus, in the case of a porch light, for instance, the user may move. the switch button: fromthe on to the off position before descending the porch steps but the circuit will not actually be broken. until an interval has elapsed permitting the user to safely descend the porch. steps. Other similar uses will readily be apparent.

A further object of the said invention is to provide a very simply constructed and assembled switch of the typereferred to capable of being built for silent operation; and, still further, the said invention contemplates the provision of means for adjustably controlling the timing of the'delayed action-of the switch.

Further advantages resulting from the constructionor operation of the invention as it may be carried into eii'ect will become apparent as the samelis.hereinafter'described, by way of example, having reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear'perspective view of a switch embodying the said invention;

Figure 2 is a. similar perspective view of the switch button or tumbler removedtherefrom;

Figure. 3 is a detail perspective view of the switch button-supporting member;

Figure 4 is. a vertical cross-section of the switchbutton taken on a plane indicated by the lin'eA-l in Figure 2 Figure 5 is a sectional elevation, taken through the switch. frame structure on a plane indicated by thezline 5-5 inFigure 1, showing the switch button and its supporting member in side elevation; and

Figure eisia vertical longitudinal section of a slightly modified form of the switch button.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several figures of the drawing.

|U indicates a standard type of face plate, such as is commonly used in association with household switch boxes to support the switch mechanism, and mounted on the back of this plate I is aswitch frame structure generally numbered Ii which may be entirely-of non-conducting material and comprises a flat base |2 having anopening l3 therein and provided with a pair of rearwardly extending arms M and |5. These arms carry, respectively, contact plates I8 and I1 recessed flush into the opposed faces of the said arms H and I and each electrically connected to any suitable means, such as the screw H, for wiring purposes in the well known manner.

Mounted as on a pivot I9 which extends between the warmest ends of the arms l4 and I5, is a rod 20. which acts as a supporting member for a button or tumbler 2| which is provided with a bore 22 to receive the said rod in a manner permitting, the said button or tumbler 2| to slide coaxially over the said rod 20.

This bore 22 is reduced in diameter, as at 23, throughout a short distance. from the forward end of the button 2| to provide a shoulder 24 against, which one end of a compression spring 25 abuts. The opposite end of this spring 25 presses against the forward end of the rod 20-, as through the medium of the set screw 26 which serves to secure an expansible washer 21 upon the forward end of the said rod 26.

Thus, the tendency of the spring 25 is to urge the button 2 I forwardly on the rod 20 to a point which is limited by an enlarged abutment 28- on the rear end of the'said button 2| ;Y which abutment is shown" as being provided with an arcuate face 29 for a smooth wiping contact with the plate I2 of the switch frame structure I I; This enlarged rear portion of the button 2| has recessed' into its opposite sides electrically connected contact fingers 30 and 3| for the purpose of closing an electrical circuit between the contact plates I6 and IT in all positions of movement of the switch'button 2| other than-the lower and forward off position of the said button as will become apparent.

It will be seen that the contact plate I6 is notched on its lower edge at l6 and similarly (although not necessarily) the plate H as shown as notched at ll so'that, when the button 2| is raised to the on position shown in full lines Figure 5; the contact fingers 3B and 3| will bridge the contact plates l6 and I"! regardless of what position of adjustment along the md 29 the said switchbutton may occupy.

However, when the switch button is depressed to the off position, as shown in broken lines in the said Figure'5, the said contact fingers 3i! and 3| will only bridge the plates l6 and I when the button is pushed rearwardly of the device over its supporting rod 20 as, when the button is otherwise in itsforward and depressedpff position, as also shown in broken lines in the said Figure 5, the contact fingers 30 and 3| will not impinge the said contact plates but instead will register with the notches I6 and I1 thereof.

Thus, in the forward position of the Switch button, it may immediately close and open the circuit through the plates l6 and I! as it is raised and lowered; but, if the button 2| is first moved rearwardly. over itssupporting shaft 20, the circuit will remain closed regardless of whether the button occupies a depressed or off position until such time as the action of the spring 25 automatically returns the button to its normal forward operating position.

The speed of this automatic forward movement of the switch button is intended to be dampened or regulated by a suitable brake, which may simply be a distortable washer 21 such as of rubber-like material subject to adjustable compression by a set screw 20. The effective diameter of this brake member 21 may be increased by adjusting the set screw toward the rod 26 and decreased by the reverse adjustment, as will be obvious, and such adjustment will, therefore, regulate the peripheral pressure of the member 2! on the Wall of the bore 22 whereby such regulated braking action, or friction, between the said member 21 and the wall of the bore 22 will operate to time the reflex action of the spring 7 25 after the switch button 2| has been pushed rearwardly on its supporting rod 20. The reduced orifice 23 in the forward end of the button 2| admits of the passage of a small screw driver therethrough to eifect adjustments of the set screw 26.

In operation, the described switch mechanism may be utilized to merely close and open a circuit as theswitch button (in its forward position on the rod 20) is raised and lowered, but, should a delayed action be desired, the switch button 2| is simply pushed rearwardly on its rod 20 so that the resulting short-radius arcuate movement of the contact fingers 30 and 3| is rearward of the notches l6 and ll of the contact plates. Under these conditions, when the button in such rearward position is depressed to the off position, the electrical circuit between the contact plates will remain closed until such time as the button 2|, under the partially restrained action of the compression spring 25, is returned to its forward position and so causes the contact fingers 30 and 3| to move into the area of the recesses I6 and I1 thereby automatically breaking the circuit.

The time elapsing, between the depressing of the rearwardly set contact button to its lower off position and the full movement thereafter of the button to its forward contact-breaking position by the action of the spring 25, is determined by the amount of braking resistance set up between the washer 2! and the wall of the bore 22 by the described adjustment. 1

The slight modification shown in Figure 6 is simply to indicate that the return movement of the switch button on its shaft may not necessarily be of a uniform speed throughout but may be accelerated, after the desired delayed action has been accomplished, in order to secure a more instantaneous breaking of the circuit should this be desired. With the form of structure described, this effect may be simply secured by enlarging a portion of the bore 22 of the button 2|, as at 22, in the form of a counter bore whereby braking pressure between the wall of the bore 22 and the brake member 21 will be relieved during the final 4 portion of the forward movement of the button 2| on its rod 20, as will be obvious.

What I claim is:

1. In a delayed action switch, a frame struc- I swung to its on position, a pair of contacts positioned to close a circuit through said con- I ductor when swung to both its on and off positions when said tumbler is moved toward said pivot, and biasing means for returning said tumbler to its forward position removed from said pivot following its manual rearward movement towards said pivot.

2. In a delayed action switch, a frame structure, a pivot, a tumbler arm pivoted thereon for swingable movement to off and on positions, a tumbler manually slidable on said arm toward said pivot, a conductor carried by said tumbler, a pair of spaced contacts positioned for circuitclosing by said conductor when said tumbler is swung to its on position, a pair of contacts positioned to close a circuit through said conductor when swung to both its on and off positions when said tumbler is moved toward said pivot, biasing means for returning said tumbler to its forward position removed from said pivot following its manual rearward movement towards said pivot, and a brake yieldably resisting such forward movement of said tumbler to delay the completion of said movement.

3. In a delayed action switch, a frame structure, a pivot, a tumbler arm pivoted thereon for swingable movement to off and on positions, a tumbler manually slidable on said arm toward said pivot, a conductor carried by said tumbler, a pair of spaced contactspositioned for circuitclosing by said conductor when said tumbler is swung to itson position a pair of contacts positioned to close a circuit through said conductor when swung to both its on and off positions when said tumbler is moved toward said pivot, and timed biasing means for returning said tumbler to its forward position removed from said pivot following its manual rearward movement towards said pivot.

4. In a delayed action switch, a frame structure, a pivot, a tumbler arm pivoted thereon for swingable movement to off and on positions, a' tumbler manually slidable on said arm toward said pivot, a conductor carried by said tumbler, a pair of spaced contacts positioned for circuitclosing by said conductor when said tumbler is swung to its on position a pair of contacts positioned to close a circuit through said conductor when swung to both its on and off positions when said tumbler is moved toward said pivot, biasing means for returning said tumbler to its forward position removed from said pivot following its manual rearward movement towards said pivot, and an adjustable brake yieldably resisting such forward movement of said tumbler to a degree determined by its adjustment.

5. In a delayed action switch, a frame structure, a pivot, a tumbler arm pivoted thereon for swingable movement to off and on positions, a tumbler manually slidable on said arm toward said pivot, a conductor carried by said tumbler, a pair of spaced contacts positioned for circuitclosing by said conductor when said tumbler is swung to its "on position a pair of qontacts positioned to close a circuit through said conductor when swung to both its on and off positions when said tumbler is moved toward said pivot, biasing means for returning said tumbler to its forward position removed from said pivot following its manual rearward movement towards said pivot, a brake frictionally disposed between said arm and said tumbler to yieldably resist forward movement of said tumbler, and means for adjusting the effective pressure of said brake. JOSEPH BAILEY SHOCKLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,188,685 Josephson Jan. 30, 1940 2,324,730 Sharp Ju1y 20, 1943 

